Asteroid 2024 PT5, which is at the moment hurtling in direction of Earth, relatively than burning up within the ambiance, will possible stay in orbit and change into a minimoon. Nevertheless, will probably be a fleeting go to and can most likely solely keep within the planet’s gravitational grip for 2 months.
The asteroid was found on August 7 and is about 10 meters in diameter.
Two astronomers from the Complutense College of Madrid, Carlos de la Fuente Marcos and Raúl de la Fuente Marcos, studied the movement of the thing and concluded that will probably be caught in Earth’s orbit for a brief interval between September 29 and November 25. It should then fall again into the Solar’s orbit and proceed its journey by way of the Photo voltaic System.
In different phrases, for a complete of 56.6 days, Earth may have two moons (extra exactly, one true moon and one minimoon).
The examine notes that 2024 PT5 is “unlikely to be synthetic,” which means it’s most likely not only a piece of area junk that could possibly be mistaken for a minimoon. Researchers recommend it could possibly be the Arjuna asteroid, a near-Earth object with an orbit just like that of our planet. It’s named after an historical prince of the Kuru kingdom, positioned in present-day India, and a central character within the Hindu epic Mahabharata.
Sadly, you’ll hardly be capable of see the minimoon. In accordance with NASA’s JPL Small Physique Database, 2024 PT5 has an absolute magnitude of 27.6, which may be very faint and won’t be seen in most beginner telescopes.
So-called minimoons have graced Earth with their household earlier than – for instance, asteroid 2022 NX1 in 1981. It shortly left our planet’s attain earlier than returning as a minimoon in 2022. It’s predicted that in 2051 it’ll once more will return.
2024 PT5 can be anticipated to make a number of visits. The asteroid will return to Earth’s orbit in January 2025 earlier than shortly leaving and returning once more in 2055.
Illustrative Photograph by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/picture/full-moon-during-night-time-53153/
